Improvement in billiarb-regisfers



J. F. MILLER.

BILLIARD REGISTER.

No. 175,295. Patented March 28,1876.

NFETERS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAPNER. WASHINGTON. D C.

screw R. into the tube-head B.

UNITED STATES JOHN F. MILLER, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN BILLIARD-fiEGI's'TERS.

Specification forming part of'Letters Patent No. 175,295, dated March28, 1876; application filed March 4, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN F. MILLER, of the city of Pittsburg, in thecounty of Allegheny, and the State of Pennsylvania, have invented a newand useful Machine for Registering Billiards or similar games, of whichthe following is a specification:

The object of my invention is to record or register each game played onthe table, to protect the owner from falsereturnshy the players, andalso from deception of his" clerk or game-keeper, as to the-total numberof games. This I accomplish by the combination ofa circular case, A,tube or case B, counterwire G, counters 0 c, push-headD, dial E,spring'drum F, ratchet-wheelGflever H, pawl 1, spring-dog K, pulley L,sheaves M and N, cord 0, and the hand P, all of which are shown indetail in the accompanying drawing, which is hereby made a' part of thisspecification and to which reference is had- Figure 1 being alongitudinal section, Fig. 2 a transverse section, of the invention.

The case A is formed of brass or any other stitable material, beingconstructed the same as are cases for steam-gages. Projecting from theright side is a boss, which is bored out to receive one-end of the rightcounter-wire. It has a set-screw, R, which screws down on the wire. Fromthe left side of the case A projects a similar boss, to which isattached the tube-head B.- This boss receives an end (left) of thecounter-wire G, having also the set- B is the tube or case which screwsIt is of such internal diameter as will permit the counters c c tofreely move therein, on the counter-wire O, which passes longitudinallythrough the tube B to the boss where it is fastened by the set-screw R.0 c are the counters, which are the same as those in present use. D isthe push-head, having a hole through its center, through which passesthe wire (J. It has an arm extending downward, and is of such proportionthat it will move easily on the counter-Wire 0 inside the tube B inwhich it is located. E is the dial-face, only a portion of which isshown. (See Fig. 1.) It is divided into certain equal spaces of two morein number than the number of games it is desired to register, everyfourth space being numbered. (See Fig. 1.)

In the center of case A is a shaft, g, having its journals, one in theback of theca'se and' ber of its teeth, and their size, of such pro-'portion as will correspond to the number of spaces and their locationonthe dial-face E, one of the teeth, however, being cut out, mak- 111g2.- blank space equal to the two extra spaces on the dial- E. His'a-lever having its fulcrum on the shaft g, and on the lower end thepulley L, and also the pawl I, Fig. l-. The free end of thepawl meshesinto the teeth of the ratchet wheel G,being-lieptin place by a smallspring. K is a spring-pawl,- which alsofmesh'es into wheel G, andprevents any back movement of the same. F is the spring-drum having acoil-spring in it. P is the hand, fast on .the'front end of the shaft 9,and of such length as will-reach to and point to the spaces and figureson the dial.

The cord 0, or its mechanical equivalent,

'is attached by one end to the spring-drum F, round which it passes suchnumber of turns as are equivalent to the length of the tube B. From thedrum it passes once round the pulley L; thence through the side of thecase A, and enters the tube B through the head B at the lower side, andis attached to the lower end of the draw-head; then passeslongitudinally through said tubeB to its mouth, and over thesheave M,and then back to the sheave N, situate at the under and central portionof the case A, over which it turns, its

free end being attached to any suitable handle. The case A has also awire extending up to the ceiling, to give it support when the cord isdrawn on.

Operation: Theinven tion is connected to the counter-wire by the ends ofthe wires entering the bosses and the set-screws It and B being screweddown on them. The counter-wire is then stretched over thebilliard-table, as'usual, the case A being over the center of the table.The counters, or a portion of them, are then thrown into the tube B, thehand P is then turned to point to zero on the dial, by a key which isapplied to the back end of the shaft. When it is desired to play a gameon the table, it is necessary first to move all the counters on the wire0 from the tube B to the out end of the wire. and those in the tube canonly be released therefrom by drawing on the cord 0, which draws thepush-head forward moving on the counterwire O, and sliding the count ersout of the tube B; at the same time the cord draws the lever forward,and the pawl I moves the ratchet-wheel forward one tooth or space,thereby rotating the shaft 9 so as to cause the hand 1? to move fromzero to one space to the right, indicating one game, the lever H beingstopped from moving any farther than will move the hand '1? from onemark or space to another by the stop e. As soon as this occurs thespring-drum begins to unwind and pays out the necessary length of cord0, as will allow the push-head D to move the counters out of the tube B,and so release them. When this is done the cord is let go, and thespring in the drum expands and winds the cord and brings thepush-head'back to-the head of tube B, the lever H and paw-l I movingback one tooth. The game is then played, the counters, as shots aremade, being thrown into the tube B, to be again released by theoperation above described, and so cause the hand toadvance on the dialas more games are played. When, however, the hand has advanced towithintwo spaces (at the left) of zero, or the highest figure on thedial, the ratchet-Wheel has turned round so that the pawl now engagesthe blank portion of the wheel, and it, of course,-gives no motion fromit, no matter how much the lever may move,

nor will it operate farther until the key is applied, and the handturned up to zero again, the object of this cutting out ofone tooth andthus stopping. the register at the highest space or figure being so thatthe hand cannot be moved round the dial (from a large to a small) so asto indicate a small number of games bein g played, and thus defraud theproprietor.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire LettersPatent for, is-- 1. The tube B, in combination with a counter-wire, asdescribed, and inclosing or confining the counters 0 0, substantially asset forth.

2. The combination of the counters c 0, the

wire 0, the inelosing-tube B, a registering mechanism, and the means,substantially as described, for actuating the registering mechanism whenthe counters are withdrawn from the tube, substantially asdescribed,-an'd for the object set forth.

3. The combination of the dial E, shaft 9, pawl I, ratchet-wheel Gr,lever H, pulley L, and cord 0, all constructed and operating asdescribed, and for the object set forth.

4:. The drum F, cord 0, in combination with pulley L and push-head D,all construct ed and operating as described.

JOHN F. MILLER. Witnesses:

' WM. M. OUTI-IBERT,

J. REHWOLD.

